REPORT ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE

OF THE CITY OF REVERE

 

Revisions:  1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996

                    1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005,

                    2006, 2007         

                                                                       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

This report was prepared by the Department of Planning and Community Development and the Department of Public Works through the efforts of City Planner Frank Stringi, former DPW Superintendent Andrew De Santis, former DPW Superintendent John Barrett and DPW Superintendent Donald E. Goodwin, Jr.,

 

MAYOR THOMAS G. AMBROSINO

 

COUNCILORS AT LARGE

 

George V. Colella

 

John Correggio

 

Robert J. Haas, Jr.

 

Daniel Rizzo

 

Anthony T. Zambuto

 

Ward 1 Councilor

Douglas Goodwin

 

Ward 2 Councilor

Ira Novoselsky

 

Ward 3 Councilor

Arthur Guinasso

 

Ward 4 Councilor

George Rotondo

 

Ward 5 Councilor

John Powers

 

Ward 6 Councilor

Mark Casella

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I.                   INTRODUCTION

 

This report has been revised this year to focus solely on the City’s infrastructure and its historic efforts to address the challenges presented by its mostly aging systems and facilities.  The comprehensive capital improvements necessary to address some of the items and recommendations mentioned in this report are now separately documented and prioritized in a separate document entitled “Capital Improvement Program Fiscal Years 2008-2012.” The two documents should be read together to gain a comprehensive understanding of the City’s needs and its plans for future growth.

 


 

II.  ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES

 

Although Revere has seen a decline in the economic importance of its central business district, other areas of the City are experiencing enhanced economic activity.  In fact, over the past few years, development has been expanding in many parts of the City, from Suffolk Downs and the Revere Beach Reservation to Northgate and Rowe’s Quarry. 

 

A review of economic development over the past decade establishes that significant strides have been made in expanding the economic base within the City.

 

·        A retail development near the Shirley Avenue business district known as Wonderland Marketplace opened for business in 1996.  Wonderland Marketplace comprises over 148,000 square of retail development.

 

·        OSCO Drug constructed 15,000 square foot retail building on the site of the former City Yard on Broadway.

 

·        The East Boston Savings Bank has constructed a new facility on the site of the former Wendy’s on Broadway.

 

·        Walgreens constructed a 14,000 square foot retail building in Linden Square.

 

·        Pep Boys constructed a 21,800 square foot automotive retail and garage on Squire Road, now a Savers store.

 

·        A 27,000 square foot office building on Broadway known as Fernwood Place was constructed in 1999.

 

·        Expansion of the Comfort Inn on Route 1 to a Marriott courtyard with 30 additional rooms was completed in 2000.

 

·        Construction of a 208 room Comfort Inn Suites hotel on American Legion Highway was completed in 2001.

 

·        Construction of a new 20 theatre Showcase Cinema Complex on Squire Road was completed in 2001.

 

·        Construction of an 80,000 square foot Super Stop & Shop on Squire Road was completed in 2001.

 

·        Expansion and conversion of the Howard Johnson Hotel to a Sheraton Four Points Hotel on Squire Road was completed in 2001.

 

·        Construction of the Prospect House, a 110 room Assisted Living Facility at the site of the former Hy-Sil Manufacturing building was completed in 2001.

 

 

·        Expansion and conversion of the Revere Federal Savings Bank on Broadway to the Danvers Savings Bank was completed in 2001.

 

·        The renovation and expansion of the former Towle Manufacturing building located at 135 American Legion Highway into the new international headquarters of the New England Confectionery Food Company (NECCO) was completed in 2004.

 

·        The former Ames Department Store within the Northgate Shopping Center was completely refurbished and converted into the Burlington Coat Factory in 2004.

 

·        The former Toys R Us and Fretter’s retail space within the Northgate Shopping Center has been completely refurbished  to make way for an 80,000 s.f. National Wholesale Liquidators retail store in 2005.

 

·        The development of Rowe’s Quarry into a major, mixed use commercial and residential development by Roseland Properties is currently under construction.

 

·        A major 200,000 s.f. retail center at Suffolk Downs, including a Target Store and Super Stop & Shop, opened in 2005.

 

·        Construction of 48 office/artists lofts is complete on the former Surf site on Ocean Avenue.

 

·        Construction of a 6,000 s.f. commercial building is complete on the former Streger Counter site at 166 Broadway.

 

·        The Atlantica, a new 83 unit condominium on Revere Beach Boulevard is complete.

 

·        A 50,000 s.f. shopping center is scheduled to begin construction in Spring 2007 on the  former Lappens Auto site at Mahoney Circle.

 

·        A new 200 plus unit condominium project known as the Ocean Club is scheduled to break ground in the Spring of 2007 along Revere Beach Boulevard.

 

·        A new BJs is expected to break ground in 2007 on the former site of Seigal’s Junkyard.


 

 

III.             PLANNING AND FEASIBILITY STUDIES

 

In an effort to positively guide economic development, infrastructure improvements, open space and recreation plans, public facility improvements and growth management within the City of Revere, it is essential that the city maintain the capacity to evaluate the conditions specific to these areas of study.  Planning and feasibility studies provide the city with the necessary tools to make proper management and policy decision that affect the quality of life in the community.

 

Over recent years the city has undertaken a number of studies including a Sewer System Evaluation Study, a Sewer and Water Master Plan for the North Revere Beach area, a  Water System Study and Master Plan for the Shirley Avenue area, a Short Range Transportation Planning Study, a Park Maintenance Efficiency and Organizational Study, a Downtown Marketing Study, a Growth Management Study, Land Use Study, an Open Space and Recreational Study, a School System Evaluation Study, a Public Library Improvement Study, a Flood Management Plan, a Public Safety Facilities Improvement Plan, and an Economic Development Strategy.  These reports all have contributed to the improvement of the delivery of services and contributed to the successful reconstruction of infrastructure and public facilities within the city.

 

            Presently, the City is involved in a partnership effort with the MBTA in undertaking a feasibility study for the construction of a parking garage to support transit oriented development within the environs of the Wonderland T Station, including Parcel H and the North Lot.
 

IV.              STORM WATER DRAINAGE

 

The City of Revere drainage system is primarily a gravity flow system with thirteen (13) large drainage areas containing twenty-three (23)  smaller drainage areas as shown on a land contour map by Somerville Engineering.  Pump Stations are located on Bennington Street, Broadsound Avenue, and Philomena Avenue at Greenhouse Estates and Rice Avenue.  A previously used pumping station on Sargent Street was rendered unnecessary due to improvements made in 1980 in the Venditto Road area.  The Central County Ditch, the Eastern County Ditch, Town Line Brook, Trifone Brook, Linden Brook, Sales Creek, Diamond Creek, Pines River and the Belle Isle Inlet are receiving bodies of water for the city’s storm drain water.

 

A Storm Water Drainage Report was prepared during 1975 by Somerville Engineering for the City of Revere.  Some of the proposed solutions for drainage deficiencies outlined in the report ware funded for implementation by a bond issued passed in 1980.  Correction to drainage problems existing along the Central County Ditch, Venditto Road, and Leverett Avenue were among those funded at that time.  Improvements to several of the tide gate structures, new drainage on Malden Street, Washington Avenue, Broadway, Winthrop Avenue, Tuscano Avenue, East Mountain Avenue, John Mooney Road, and culverting of a section of Green’s Creek are a few of the more important drainage improvements undertaken by the City.

 

The City of Revere, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR),  the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), MassHighway Dept., and the United States Army Corps of Engineers have all been moving forward on various projects intended to abate storm event flooding.

 

BELLE ISLE INLET, SALES CREEK AND GREENS CREEK

 

The Belle Isle Inlet/Sales Creek Pump Station on the west side of Bennington Street at the Revere boundary and the City of Boston together with a tandem tidegate structure outlets stormwater runoff from a large portion of Beachmont, Ward Two (2), and the Library Street area.

 

Plans for improvements to this drainage area date back to a report issued by Andrew Christo Engineers during the early 1980’s recommending the construction of the Belle Isle Inlet/Sales Creek Pumping Station, new culverts on Sales Creek in Suffolk Downs, culverting Sales Creek. The culvert work in Suffolk Downs and the construction of the pump station were completed by the Division of Waterways in 1982.

 

The Winthrop Conservation Commission and the Friends of Belle Isle Marsh sued in order to have further environmental studies of the water and sediment quality of Sales Creek before the pumping station would be allowed to operate.  An agreement was reached with all parties involved to allow emergency operation of the pump station.  Work was completed in the fall of 1994 to make the station a fully automatic operation and clean the culvert as well as the ditch system leading to it.

 

An area in lower Beachmont bounded by Crest Avenue, Winthrop Parkway, Revere Beach Parkway, Winthrop Avenue and State Road is drained by a main conduit beginning behind the homes on the west side of Winthrop Parkway.  It follows Henry Street to Atlantic Avenue running under the Our Lady of Lourdes Church and finally outfalling at the beginning of Sales Creek behind Shaws Supermarket directing surface water run-off to the pump station.

 

The drainage ditch on the west side of the MBTA Blue Line Right-of-Way receives flows from the high point of Shirley Avenue to the north draining the area around the Garfield School, Curtis Park and Ocean Avenue.  This ditch flows southerly to the beginning of Sales Creek.

 

Drainage from all of Young’s Hill including all of Shirley Avenue flows to the Bennington Street Pump Station.  Green’s Creek courses from the Lee Burbank Highway near the Esquire Club behind Pratt’s Trailer Court to Sales Creek near the Revere Beach Parkway

 

The Westerly high end of this drainage system is the Lowe Street Place area.  Installation of new drainage by the City of Revere and private development entities has abated flooding along the rear of the homes on Haddon St.

 

The Bennington Street Pumping Station when used in conjunction with the Broadsound Avenue MDC Pumping Station has been found effective in controlling flooding due to waves overtopping the seawall at the intersection of Leverett Avenue and Winthrop Parkway.  Drainage installation by the City of Revere during 1982 on Leverett Avenue conveys the water to the main drain and the pump station.

 

Surface water runoffs the southerly side of the Beachmont Hill to the Atlantic Ocean and Belle Isle Inlet.  A major feature of this drainage area is a large drain that outfalls through a tide gate structure at the edge of Repucci Memorial Park.

 

THE CENTRAL COUNTY DITCH

 

The Central County Ditch drains a large portion of the City of Revere (approximately 670 acres) including the area south of Revere Street between the B & M Railway Tracks and American Legion Highway.

 

The Central County Ditch prior to the early 1950’s flowed into the Eastern County Ditch in the vicinity of Dunn Road at Sagamore Street.  The DCR constructed a five-foot (5’) diameter culvert under Consiglia Della Russo Memorial Playground and outfalled the Central County Ditch through a tandem tidegate structure at the Burnham Street end of Diamond Creek.

 

A retention area was created in 1981 on Towle Manufacturing land along with the installation of parallel five-foot (5’) pipes through Della Russo Park. In addition to the retention area, a major feature of the Central County Ditch is a main drainage conduit that runs westerly from the open ditch near the Towle Manufacturing building at American Legion Highway under the Revere High School playing fields and Erricola Park where it splits into a north branch and a south branch.

 

The North branch proceeds up Ambrose Street to Lee Street, Revere Street, and Carleton Street where it turns westerly and crosses Broadway paralleling Malden Street at the low points of the streets between Malden Street and Rumney Road terminating at Orvis Road.

 

The South branch of the Central County Ditch conduit runs under School Street, East Mountain Ave., and the old City Yard site crossing Broadway and terminating at Harry Della Russo Stadium. The Central County Ditch drains the north side of the Trevalley Hills, the Municipal Parking Lot, most of Broadway, part of the northerly side of the Reservoir Hill, the eastern portion of the Mountain Avenue hill, the Coolidge Street area, most of the Fenley Street hill and most of the area between Malden Street, Rumney Road and Broadway.

 

The re-alignment of the open portion of the Central County Ditch and the installation of drain lines installed during 1980 in the vicinity of Revere Street corrected a substantial flooding problem that recurred frequently along the north branch of Malden Street. From Halls Corner down Malden Street and Washington Avenue, storm water was diverted away from the Central County Ditch to Town Line Brook, which contributed to the relief of flooding.

 

PEBBLE BEACH, CRESCENT BEACH, REVERE BEACH,

WONDERLAND RACE TRACK, KELLY’S MEADOWS,

OAK ISLAND, EASTERN COUNTY DITCH,

DIAMOND CREEK AND POINT OF PINES

 

The area bounded by Winthrop Parkway and Broadsound Avenue drains toward the Atlantic Ocean. The Broadsound Avenue Pumping station collects runoff from this area.

 

All along the beachfront, numerous drain outlet pipes lead to Broadsound. The majority of these discharge points are owned by the DCR.

 

The Eastern County Ditch begins at Beach Street on the west side of the MBTA Blueline Right-of-Way flowing north, parallel to Ocean Avenue under Revere Street halfway to Oak Island where it turns westerly and flows through a culvert under North Shore Road meandering through the marsh before outfalling through a tidegate at the B&M Tracks. Wonderland Racetrack to Kelly’s Meadow, the area around Bay Road, and the Arcadia Street area runoff into the Eastern County Ditch.  The Eastern County Ditch channels flows from rainfall events and seawall overtopping.  During the January 2, 1987 storm, seawall overtopping that occurred between Revere Street to the north and Shirley Avenue to the south collected at a low point on the Revere Beach Boulevard and created a saltwater stream flowing westerly down to what was formerly Beaver Street forming a lake on Ocean Avenue.  Seawater on Revere Beach Boulevard between Revere Street and Oak Island Street during some storm events overflows the westerly sidewalk of Revere Beach Boulevard and finds its way to the Eastern County Ditch. The resanding of Revere Beach has reduced coastal flooding due to overtopping of the seawall along Revere Beach Boulevard.

 

The Grove section of Oak Island contains several small drain lines but most surface water flows in sheet-flows over the roadways and out to the surrounding marshland.

 

The area between Oak Island Street to the south and Point of Pines to the north bounded by Revere Beach Boulevard and North Shore Road is primarily a saltwater marsh which drains through a series of culverts which are equipped with self-regulating tidegates connecting this area to the Pines River.

 

The oceanside of the Point of Pines drains primarily through a large drainpipe that flows from south to north across all of the Point of Pines streets terminating at the Point of Pines Drainage Pump Station on Rice Avenue. The pump station was designed and constructed during the early 1970’s to handle storm water runoff caused by rainfall events and severe wave action. The pump station is equipped with two (2) pumps, with emergency power provided by natural gas to one pump unit. A liquid chlorine disinfectant system is part of the equipment at the station.

 

The Riverside section of the Point of Pines drains through a series outfalls along Mills Avenue to the Pines River.

 

The north side of Revere Street from North Shore Road to the east of American Legion Highway to the west drains through a series of small drainage systems outfalling in the marshland between Lynn Marsh Road and North Shore Road (Diamond Creek).

 

LINDEN BROOK, TOWN LINE BROOK AND NORTH REVERE

 

Surface water run-off from the westerly side of the Mountain Avenue Hill, the Caruso Farms area, the area bounded by Sargent Street, Newhall Street and Malden Street, the area around Washington Avenue and the streets between Malden Street and Grover Street all flow into Town Line Brook.  A large box culvert runs from Asti Avenue at Tuscano Avenue in a westerly direction under the low point of the Northeast Expressway to Trifone Brook.

 

            Town Line Brook is a wide paved waterway at the Revere - Malden boundary line under the jurisdiction of the DCR.  Drainage flows from the brook through a multiple opening tide gate structure on the north side of Route One at the Sea Plane Basin.  The simultaneous occurrence of large amounts of rainfall and wind-driven high tides create flooding in the areas adjacent to Town Line Brook.

 

            Few drainage facilities exist in the North Revere section.  Drainage from fresh water wetlands at the top of the hill near Grandview Avenue and Hywood Street flows cross-country across Franklin Street to the marshland behind the residential building at 205 Salem Street.  The marshland becomes a woodlands/wetland extending westward to Muzzey Street and the Saugus line.  Collected water flows under Salem Street through two (2) forty-two inch concrete pipes installed during 1986.  The Salem Street Drainage Improvement Project and a new asphalt coated and paved corrugated metal arch-pipe installed during 1982 under Marshall Street have corrected some of the drain problems in North Revere.

 

MILL CREEK DRAINAGE AREA

 

            Mill Creek at the Chelsea - Revere boundary flows into the Mystic River and Boston Harbor.  Tidal flooding of Mill Creek floods a small portion of Revere in the vicinity of the Revere Beach Parkway at the Northeast Expressway.  Drainage from the southerly side of the Reservoir hill and the area around Mill and Vinal Street flows into Mill Creek through several culverts.

 

            A ditch between Fenno Street and the Northeast Expressway brings storm water to a culvert that runs from Fenno Street near Spring Street under the expressway to Chelsea where it turns and again crosses the Northeast Expressway back to Mill Creek.  Channel improvements completed during 1983 have improved flows along these ditches.  Construction of a new bridge over Mill Creek and channel improvements along Mill Creek west of Broadway were completed in 1994.  Intense rainfall events and tidal action cause some nuisance flooding in the Vinal Street and Olive Street areas.

 

DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS

 

            Many areas of the City of Revere, especially those areas that were at one time comprised of primarily summer residences lack sufficient drainage facilities.  Drainage improvements in these areas are important and a comprehensive planning and maintenance effort is necessary to ensure the new drainage when installed will work in conjunction with existing facilities.  Increase in hydraulic capacity and rehabilitation of several main drain conduits is necessary prior to loading these systems with additional surface water runoff.


 

 

 

TABLE ONE A

 

                                     DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS COMPLETED

 

LOCATION               SCOPE OF WORK                           COST         COMPLETED

 

1.  Point of Pines          Completed rehabilitation of                                           10/90

    Drainage Pump         mechanical components of drainage

    Station                      pump station on Rice Avenue including

                                    retention of outfalls into Pines River

                                                                                                $280,000.

 

2.  Vera Street              Installation of drainage structures                                   7/90

                                    on Vera Street between North Shore Road

                                    Glendale Street

 

3.  Bay Road                Installation of drainage structures                                   7/90

                                    at intersection of Bay Road and

                                    Sears Street

 

                                   

4.  John Mooney          Replacement of collapsed drain                         9/89

            Road                on John Mooney Road in conjunction with

                                    roadway improvements.

                                                                                                $94,000.

 

5.  Kingman Avenue     Install new drainage structures                                       9/89

                                    in easement to Malden Street drainage

                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                $38,300

 

6.  Repucci Park           Correction of drainage deficiency                                  9/88

                                               

                                                                                                $8,500.

 

7.  Sigourney Street      Correction of drainage deficiency                                  7/90

                                     

                                                                                                $98,000.

 

8.  Dunn Road              Drainage and Pump Station                                           10/93

 

                                                                                                $232,000.

 

9.  Clifton Street            install new drain and catch basin                                   10/90        Drainage                  .                                                                                                                                                                                   $5,000.

 

10. Brenton Street        Installation of new drainage                                          9/93

                                    structures

                                                                                                $5,000.

 

11. Alden Avenue         Installation of new drainage                                           12/94

                                    structures

                                                                                                $2,500.

 

12. Sullivan Street         Installation of new drainage                                           12/94

    & Conant Street       structures

                                                                                                $10,000.

 

13. Rossetti Street        Corrected drainage deficiency                                       6/94

                                                 

                                                                                                $500.

14. Sargent Street         Installation of new drain line                                          7/92

                                                                                                $3,500.           

 

15. Bay Road/              Pump Station and catch basin                                        6/94

    Jackson Road

                                                                                                $6,500.

16. Festa Road             Installed lift station                                                        6/94

                                                                                                $6,500.

 

 

17. Joey Road/             Installed lift station                                                        7/93

    Cecilian Avenue                                                                    $6,500.

 

18. Dolphin Avenue      New drain structures and drainage                                12/94

                                    in front of Hyman Towers

                                                                                                $4,300.

 

19. Reservoir Avenue  New drainage system                                                     8/94

                                                                                                $110,000.

20. Abruzzi Street         New drainage system                                                    11/93

                                                                                                $90,000.

                       

21. Hichborn Street       Installation of new                                $280,000         2/97

                                                 48" Culvert

 

22. Sherman Street       Regrading of Roadway                        $10,000.           11/96

 

23. Savage Street         Regrading of Roadway                        $10,000.           11/96

 

 

24. Installation of new self regulating tidegate                 $100,000.        12/97

    structure at Martin Street outflow of Central

    County Ditch.

 

25. Leonard & Lawrence Road

            New drainage system                                                    $60,000.          10/97

                                                                       

26. North Avenue drainage regrade roadway                            $30,000.          8/97

 

27. Newman Street roadway regrading                         $10,000.          9/97

 

28. Lechmere, Mc Coba and                                                    $60,000           7/99

      Ward Street – new drainage system installed                                  

 

29.  Franklin Street       Installed Lift Station                              $10,000           6/99

 

30. Installation of twin 36” ADS pipe between

      Sagamore St. and North Shore Road                                    $60,000           8/00

 

31. Installation of 7 self regulating tide gates along

      Pines River and 6 ft. diameter culvert under

      North Shore Rd. at Eastern County Ditch                            MassHighway   10/01

 

32. Replacement of Route 1 tide gates including the

      installation of 3 self regulating gates                                     MassHighway  8/01

 

33. Installation of twin 42” culverts from Spring St. to

      Northeast Expressway 7’x4’ box culvert                              $150,000             7/01

 

34.   Purchase of two 8” pumps for the purpose of assisting

in the drainage of the Central County Ditch                           $100,000           2002    

 

35. Point of Pines Pump Station Repair                                       $50,000             2002

 

36.  Malden Street/Gore Road Drainage Improvement                 $25,000             2003

 

37.  Broadsound Avenue - Connect north and south ends

of drainage system into Broadsound Ave. pump station         $100,000         2003

 

38. Installation of 6’ culvert with self-regulating tidegate

and repair of existing tide gate and culvert at the eastern

county ditch at the B&M tracks                                          $2 million          2004

 

39. New drainage system along Fenno St.                                                         2004

 

40. Installation of new 36” drain along Broadway from Fenno St.

      to Mill Creek                                                                      $425,000         2005

41. Installation of new manhole and pump station

      at Jackson St.                                                                     $10,000           2006

 

42. Replacement of collapsed section of Eastern County

      culvert at Shawmut Street.                                                  $72,000           2006

 

43. Cleaned and televised 4,679 l.f. of drain lines on

       Curtis Rd., Eliot Rd., Garfield Ave., Broadsound Ave.,

       Revere St., Union St., Spring Ave., Belgrade St., George Ave.,

       Jones Rd., Richard St., Calumet St., Walnut St., Dunn Rd.,

       Shawmut St., Neponset St., Fenno St., Oak Tree Lane,

Highland Ave., Thornton St., and Walnut St.                                         2006

 

44.       Completion of new drainage system on Morris Street.  $68,890.00       2006
V.  SANITARY SEWAGE COLLECTION SYSTEM

 

            The sanitary sewer collection system consists of about 80 miles of separated sanitary sewer with the majority of the system constructed of vitrified clay pipe with brick manholes.  Pipe sizes range from 6" to 30" in diameter with some larger oval shaped trunk sewers. About 75% of these pipes are 8" diameter lateral sewers.  Stormwater enters a separate drainage system, which was designed to keep stormwater and sanitary sewage apart.

 

            The earliest sanitary sewers in Revere were constructed in 1892.  About 67% of the existing system was constructed prior to 1940.  Additions to the system have been constructed at intervals since then with the existing system now serving virtually the entire population of the City.  In general, however, that portion constructed prior to 1940 having cement-mortared joints maybe the largest source of groundwater infiltration.

 

            The City of Revere is one of 43 communities in the Greater Boston Metropolitan Area included in the sanitary sewage collection system service area of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA).  The majority of the sewage from the municipal system flows through a 36" x 48" brick arched sewer to the MWRA twin 36" siphon near Slades Mill.  The brick arched sewer high-end portion is referred to as the Harris Street Tunnel and the entire line is the main interceptor sewer in the City.  The low-lying area along Revere Beach Parkway from Vinal Street westerly across Broadway to Olive Street discharges through a separate 8" connection at the siphon.  A 10" connection at the MWRA system on Washington Avenue near the Chelsea line serves a portion of the southwest corner of the City.  Trunk sewers extend from the brick sewer to various sections of the City.  Sanitary sewage pumping stations on Salem Street, Linehurst Road, Marshall Street, Sherman Street, Goldie Street, Bruno Street, Griswald Street, Marshview Terrace, Milano Avenue, Atwood Street, Lynnway and at the Garfield School service areas that could not be connected by gravity sewers.  Some streets still have homes with septic disposal systems. Washburn Avenue north of Winthrop Avenue, Revere Beach Parkway from Olive Street to Borden Street, and parts of Spring and Jordan Streets are among the areas without municipal sewage collection.

 

            All of Revere wastewater flow is discharged into the MWRA trunk sewers for conveyance to their treatment facility on Deer Island.  The MWRA has recently installed permanent flow meters in these truck sewers to monitor sewer flows received from the City.  Sewer user rates paid to the City are based on measured flows.

 

            In view of the preceding, the City has undertaken a Sewer System Evaluation Study and Inflow/Infiltration Analysis which was completed in the winter of 1995 by the engineering firm of Hayden/Wegman to identify the scope and nature of the I/I problem with the ultimate objective of establishing a plan which will economically justify the removal of excessive I/I and thereby avoid an unnecessarily high MWRA sewer assessment, and reduce system operating costs and operational problems.  Those sources of excessive infiltration/inflow recommended in the final SSES report for rehabilitation are incorporated in this capital improvement and infrastructure program.

 

            A previous Sewer System Evaluation Study was prepared by Hayden/Wegman in 1980 with the help of an EPA grant. The 1980 SSES report recommendations included testing and sealing approximately 32,000 feet of sanitary sewer, sealing 90 sanitary sewer manholes and replacing about 3,000 feet of damage pipe at numerous locations.  Other recommendations included rerouting or eliminating an estimated 91 direct inflow connections to the sanitary sewer.

 

            Based on the recommendations of the 1980 SSES report, contract documents were prepared by Hayden/Wegman for sewer rehabilitation.  These contract documents were entitled "Sewer System Rehabilitation Program, August 1984: and publicly bid as a municipal contract. 

 

            Construction for the rehabilitation continued to November 1985.  In 1987 a limited amount of flow isolation work and manhole inspections were conducted to verify I/I reductions as a result of the rehabilitation work.  This survey concluded that an estimated 2,720,000 gallons per day of peak I/I had been eliminated from the sewer system as a result of the rehabilitation work undertaken in 1984 and 1985.

 

            In addition to the sewer rehabilitation work undertaken in 1984, a 24" relief sewer was constructed from VFW Parkway to North Shore Road and was extended under the MBTA Blue Line tracks north along Ocean Avenue to Revere Street.  This work which was accomplished with the help of a Community Development Action Grant in 1985 eliminated a sagging section of pipe and also eliminated many uncapped abandoned service connections from buildings that once existed along Ocean Avenue as sources of inflow.  Other major sewer replacement projects which were completed along the beachfront as a result of new development within this area included: the installation of 2,000 ft. of 18" PVC sewer pipe from the Revere House north replacing 15" and 12" sections of pipe, and the installation of new 24" sewer line continuing the previous work on Ocean Avenue north along the beachfront well past Revere Street to the St. George Condominium Development.

 

            Sewer mains in the higher elevations of the city are for the most part adequate in size and structural strength and do not require much work.  Many of the low-lying areas which suffer from I/I related surcharging during wet weather will see a great improvement if the city is successful in eliminating the inflow sources that still exist in the form of sump pumps and roof leaders connected to the sewer system.  House-to-house inspections should be continued as part of a code enforcement program targeted at illegal sump pump and roof leader connections.  Also, a systematic maintenance program must be developed and implemented by the Department of Public Works for the cleaning of sewer lines on a regular basis, particularly in the low-lying areas of the city where sewer lines are relatively flat and vulnerable to blockage due to the build up of grease and sediment.

 


 

                                                                 TABLE TWO A

 

                                         SEWER IMPROVEMENTS COMPLETED

 

LOCATION               SCOPE OF WORK                           COST        COMPLETED

 

 

1.  North Shore                        Installation of extension of sewage         $140,000                     9/90

    Road                        collection system 1240 feet north of

                                    Oak Island Street on North Shore Road.

 

                                                                                                           

2.  Arcadia Street         Replacement of nine-hundred feet         $206,000                     10/90

                                    (900') of eight inch (8") sewer on

                                    Arcadia Street from Oak Island Street

                                    to the end of Arcadia Street                                                                                                      .

 

3.  Roughan's Point       Reconstruction of sewer mains from old  $850,000                   11/94

                                    Surf Site through to Broadsound Avenue,

                                    Leverett Avenue, Dolphin Avenue and

                                    George Avenue.

 

                                                                                                                       

4.  Sewer System Evaluation Study and I/I Analysis.                        $450,000               1/95

                                                                                                                        .

 

5.  Broadway at            Replaced 250 feet of sewer main                  $ 38,000              11/94

    Taft Street                Revere Beach Parkway to Taft Street

                                    and disconnected inflow from Page Street

                                    drainage system.

                                                                                                                       

6.  St. Anthony's           Disconnected drainage system from                   $90,000           10/93

    Parking Lot              sewer main and installed gravity drain

                                    down Abruzzi Street to marsh.  Removal

                                    367,000 gpd of inflow.                                                                                                  &nbs